


Short April Stories

by eli-wray (blessedharlot)



Category: The Great Library Series - Rachel Caine
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Drabble Collection, Fluff, Food, Gifts, Grief, Memorial to Dead Character, Mention of dead characters, Multi, Post-Series, a wedding, canon gap filler, mid-series, the emerging tone here is comfort and calm ranging from fluff to bittersweet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:22:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23422381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blessedharlot/pseuds/eli-wray
Summary: Drabbles for April event. All post-series so far except for 9, set climax of S&P.Chapters:1. Generosity (prompt 1: a book)2. Unbroken (prompt 2: travel) (tagged for mild grief)3. Generations (prompt 3: Wolfe’s hair) (tagged for grief)4. Celebration (prompt 6: silver)5. Event Management (prompt 8: Khalila’s notes)6. Loans (prompt 9: printing) (tagged for grief)7. Gifts (prompt 10: Dario’s wardrobe)8. Hard Work (prompt 11: an ice-cold drink)9. Shared Mourning (prompt 12: a hug) (tagged for angst)10. Family (prompt 15: Nic's tattoo) (tagged for grief)11. Habits (prompt 16: The Archives) (tagged for grief)12. Following Instructions (prompt 17: Thomas' fists) (tagged for food, briefly violent imagery)13. Contemplation (prompt 19: stars)14. Debt (prompt 20: Morgan's hands)15. Many Drinks With a Friend (prompt 21: The Hive) (tagged for alcohol)16. Flirting (prompt 24: Jess' Tie)17. Tending to the Archivist (prompt 25: sleep)Possible prompts: 26) Automata; 27) Language; 28) Glain’s Weapon; 29) Scholar’s Robe; 30) A Game
Relationships: Dario Santiago/Khalila Seif, Eskander/Keria Morning, Jess Brightwell/Dario Santiago, Jess Brightwell/Morgan Hault, Niccolo Santi/Christopher Wolfe
Comments: 61
Kudos: 8
Collections: Dribble Drabble April (A Great Library Event)





	1. Generosity (prompt: a book)

Christopher Wolfe examined the gift for something that could earn his disapproval.

The paper stock impressed with quality -- but not so much that he could criticize.

A new font, named for him... modeled after his own hand. Honestly, his handwriting was admirable.

His preferred binding, with brisk black leather. No doubt Nic was secretly tapped to provide this information.

Simple embossed cover… no gaudy illustrations.

If the newly published content was over-indulgent -- five papers attributed to Scholar Christopher Wolfe, each as resurrected from death as himself? Well. Brightwell was so occasionally a sentimental fool. Wolfe couldn’t fault him. This time.


	2. Unbroken (prompt: travel)

Jess stared at the platform.

The tasklist always winding through his head now fought with memory after encroaching memory. The swelling waves of change had transformed so many threads of daily life, big and small, for months now. Little of it merited a mention anymore.

And yet this.

For this moment to exist like this. 

Many after him would only know this, and not what was.

Jess stepped onto the New York platform. An unadorned young woman smiled warmly, touched his head softly, bid him close his eyes.

A short lurch rumbled his stomach. And when his eyes opened, Alexandria.


	3. Generations (prompt: Wolfe's hair)

Eskander recalled glimpses of his father’s hair -- pleasing, careful plaits swept out of the way for work. Styles the old man learned from his own father. If Eskander ever knew those family patterns, he didn’t now.

He’d kept his hair loose. Keria once remarked, smiling, how it flowed elegantly. So he let it, as onyx turned to pewter, and then to silver. 

These days, his eyes surreptitiously find his son, at this meeting or that one. Christopher sometimes favors full knots; sometimes a smooth, sure braid from crown to tip.

Tonight, old fingers forego plucked melodies and instead practice plaits.


	4. Celebration (prompt: silver)

The boldest hues softened once the bride and groom disembarked. The cool echo of so many sterling smiles lingered... in pale fluted glasses and in fine shining arrangements on the tables. 

Thomas’ tipsy evening had a cool lustre as his family walked home.

To one side, Wolfe and the Lord Commander had eyes only for each other, dancing without music in a rain-glittered street. On his other shoulder, Glain and Jess thrilled to argue trivial matters, their laughter plinking like the happy toasts before.

A silver moon hung overhead. Thomas asked it for a blessing over Dario and Khalila’s journey.


	5. Event Management (prompt: Khalila's notes)

Notes To Self ( **Not for archiving):**

Have my team research any precedents for an Archivist naming a temporary substitute. Alas, I should know this already. May be best solution, for such an event as a honeymoon. 

Give Dario’s mother the list of potential guests for the Madrid celebration. Wash hands of decision and allow her to handle this.

Personal research: review literature on, well, keeping the integrity of the marriage night intact in the weeks immediately leading up to it. RELATED: inform Dario which trousers he is and is not allowed to wear until the wedding night. This is intolerable.


	6. Loans (prompt: printing)

Stacks of crisp right angles. Smooth cut paper. Bindings tight and identical. Such a strange sight, a Library first.

Jess stood roughly where he last saw Morgan, the remodeled wing of the Archives birthing an experiment. He watched printed books sorted into sets for their journeys, every one a copy of an original that Morgan had saved.

Tokyo. Madrid. Riyadh. Boston. Mexico City. Moscow. Sao Paulo. Berlin.

Eight Serapeums would lend books. Books taken home, read, and brought back to circulate through their city. Books in homes.

Eight seemed a good number to Jess. A good start to changing everything.


	7. Gifts (prompt: Dario's wardrobe)

When the gifts of clothes first began, Dario just wasn’t certain. A man has his own sure style to maintain, and - their Gods be with all his friends - he had the best sense of style among them.

But, perhaps, he had shaped them for the better. Many gifts were highly suitable. 

Thomas had found him a beautiful brown silk waistcoat in Russia. Jess, a blue shirt from Manaus. Glain had impeccable taste in boots and wedding gifts.

And a cape from a Naples tailor. From Nic. For no occasion. “Familial affection,” he’d said. Dario quietly treasured the fine Italian garment.


	8. Hard Work (prompt: an ice-cold drink)

“Chris! What a surprise! You’re so kind.”

Chris hadn’t been called kind before. He was skeptical it was true now, as he stood next to his new lover in this public place.

Nic’s head tilted back as he drank the cold water Chris had brought him. A few drops escaped his full lip and fell to his collarbone, joining the glistening sweat on his sculpted, bare chest. Nic played hard. 

Chris gave an ice-cold smirk back to every pair of parade ground eyes watching them so carefully. He was probably making a few enemies, but couldn’t be bothered to care.


	9. Shared Mourning (prompt: a hug)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a canon gap fill, late Sword and Pen. It involves characters processing Morgan’s death. Content warning for heavy angst without closure.

“Scholar.”

Celia watched her unconscious son, and felt Wolfe’s eyes find her.

“The young woman,” she asked. “Morgan. I haven’t seen her.”

Long silence.

“She gave her life to protect the Archives.”

Before looking at his face, Celia knew what she’d find there. 

She had nothing to say. But something must be said.

Celia reached him, and wrapped her arms around him. He stiffened, but did not pull away.

“Losing a child is devastating,” she whispered.

Silence.

She pulled back. “Apologies for my familiarity.”

“Not necessary,” he said brittly.

He held her gaze for an instant, not unkindly, and left.


	10. Family (prompt: Nic's tattoo)

It began with Nic’s beloved grandmother. A single aquilegia, her favorite flower, to memorialize her.

But then she was alone on Nic’s shoulder, and he couldn’t countenance that. So his grandfather’s beloved tiarella went right beside it.

His parents and siblings had favorites too, and so the garden grew. Bella di notte, gomphrenia. Two different colors of saponaria.

A papyrus flower for Chris.

When he’s made an uncle again and again, Nic waits until the child is seven to ask. One gaillardia and one nasturtium so far.

He plans an expansion of the garden soon, grateful to know Morgan’s favorite.


	11. Habits (prompt: the Archives)

Thomas wondered if it was unusual of him to find comfort in the place he’d lost a friend… nearly two. But Thomas couldn’t resist. No matter what waited in his workshop, he never refused a reason to visit the Great Archives.

He’d determined the shelf closest to where Morgan stood when she made her decision. Each visit, he’d travel there first, kiss his fingers and press them to the wood.

Then his feet always found the engineering books. He felt alive there, warm with gratitude at their gifts, and his time left to learn more. 

Then, to whatever business awaited.


	12. Following Instructions (prompt: Thomas' fists)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is tagged for food and brief violent imagery.

Thomas’ brow furrowed. He worried this was a mistake, but he did as he thought Nic would want.

He decided where his blow should land.

His clenched hand hit the center of the soft swell, deflating it. 

He punched again, and again, until no part looked or felt swollen. As Nic had instructed.

_This feels right,_ Thomas thought. _Odd, but right._

The dough on his kitchen counter was now supple. Its first rise was done, and its gas beaten out. He’d helped the little yeasts travel around and find more food. 

He may soon have a delicious loaf of bread.


	13. Contemplation (prompt: stars)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for tangential reference to Wolfe being imprisoned.

Chris noticed the stars more now, on his sleepless nights.

Once the war was over, more often than not his insomnia merely came like a dull houseguest demanding his bored attention. With fewer flashbacks to occupy his midnight solitude, he sat on the porch and watched the stars.

Tiny pinpricks in arbitrary patterns. Maps to some. Celestial fates to others. Human civilizations utilizing and romanticizing them over and over again.

Chris wondered the precise number of humans who’ve done what he now did. How many hours spent. How often the gazer took their access for granted.

He enjoyed the stars.


	14. Debt (prompt: Morgan's hands)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for nightmares, memories of canon Philly injury, supernatural animal and memories of a dead friend.

Nic had no memory of his Philadelphia accident, until the dreams started later.

Not dreams of Chris in danger. Or fire. Or even pain. 

The dreams happened in a dark, empty place.

There was a creature -- sunken, shapeless, terrifying. It lunged and growled, salivating for Nic.

And between Nic and the creature was the lion. Not an automaton. His blue lion, sprung from his own tattoo, spun into life and animated by Morgan’s fingers. Her hands drew the lion up to stand between Nic and the creature. 

Only her hands kept the creature at bay, kept Nic tethered to himself.


	15. Many Drinks with a Friend (prompt: The Hive)

“Dario, no.”

“S’true.”

“No.”

“They hold the record. Library-wide.”

“Won’t believe it.”

“How does one even-”

“They would endanger the books, Wolfe would never do it.”

“Under the tables, I’ve decided. Keep the books safe. They got such numbers from their traveling, I’m certain.”

“Did Khalila tell you she’s sending me to Oxford?”

“... it’s safe now.”

“I know.”

“Safe. Jess. Jess. You know you’re my brother. You have no choice in that. We’re brothers.”

“... I know.”

“You’re certain?”

“Yes. I know. I love you too.”

“So long as you know.”

“I know.”

“... okay, Glain vs a bear, who would win?”


	16. Flirting (prompt: Jess' Tie)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Casual Jess/Dario fun.

"Jess."

"Dario."

"I realize that civilian clothes are more trouble to plan than uniforms. But when do you expect to purchase a second necktie?"

"I have three neckties."

"They're the same color. That only counts as one. And you didn't even make an effort on the color, you just matched your eyes, that's all you did. Honestly, I shouldn't give you credit for one single creative choice here, you haven't committed to any statement at all."

"I'm fashionable enough."

"This is not fashion. It's a cheap, lazy ploy at seduction, highlighting your eyes like that."

"Is it working?"

"… that's irrelevant."


	17. Tending to the Archivist (prompt: sleep)

Dario felt lingering stiffness in Khalila as she sat back against him. He caressed her arms.

Khalila continued her fretting. “The ambassadors will need-”

“Shhhhh. Not now, flower.” He shifted his fingers to her temples in a distraction effort. “It can wait until tomorrow. Right now, rest in my arms.”

“Dario.” His name was only partially a protest now. She was relenting.

“Yes, that’s it. Let it all fade. Just for now.” He put his hands to her shoulders and wrung them out.

She murmured an affirmative response.

This was the only way she fell asleep at all these days.


End file.
